Many companies have never faced more difficult trading conditions than in 1980. The combination of high interest rates, rapid inflation, a high value pound and a collapse of consumer demand has resulted in nightmare trading conditions for many companies. It also creates very adverse conditions...

The enormous advances in micro‐electronics in recent years has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the cost of computing power. Today's small business computer systems costing from £3,000 to £10,000 can do the work of a ten year old machine then costing the equivalent of £250,000. Therefore...